Old Discussion Thread for all 3 motion controllers

[Graham]

... the Milo demo was clearly stuff of dreams and highly scripted (think back in the days of text adventures, write what the software expects and it's a bit 'wow' type in something else and 'do not understand command' is what you end up with....

My understanding is that while the Milo demo shown at E3 was very limited, the actual video ('Milo and Kate') was genuine interaction with the game.

 

[scently]

Eurogamer and several other sites had a hands on time with Milo demo, so it is not "stuff of dream".

 

[AzBat]

Evidently Microsoft got tired of some of the stopwatch talk coming from the recent New York demo. Found this at the MTV Multiplayer Blog...

The proof of concept "Project Natal" demo shown in New York last week was not new, nor was it intended to show incremental progress. We wanted to share the same E3 experience with those who weren’t able to experience “Project Natal” in June. However, the “Project Natal” development team has been hard at work perfecting the technology over the past eight months and will continue to do so. When "Project Natal" launches this holiday, the experiences will be in keeping with Xbox 360 standards of performance and will transform living room entertainment.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/02/27/project-natal-timing-the-delay/

Looks like they are also holding back on the new stuff. They made their bed though. I'm sure there will be a few nuggets released before E3 because the natives are getting way too restless & MS will need to satisfy them just enough to hold them till E3.

Tommy McClain

 

[patsu]

Another video on the same demo:
http://gizmodo.com/5481957/breakdancing-is-no-match-for-project-natals-sensors
One can sense the Natal "treatment". I feel the lag measurements are not so meaningful without understanding the context.

I am pretty sure the developers will pick game concepts around what Natal can deliver well.

 

[patsu]

Eurogamer and several other sites had a hands on time with Milo demo, so it is not "stuff of dream".

Part of the Milo E3 demo was a concept video (especially the smooth natural speech interaction part). The rest are work in progress (e.g. facial recognition). I suspect they would want to get some sort of sketch recognition (like EyeToy) going.

I finally found a "cleaner" version of the Real Kanojo (Girlfriend) title I saw on GAF. It uses webcam (for head tracking), mouse input, cheap 3D glasses to present a girl friend simulator:

(Yeah, it's all in Japanese but should be self-explanatory)

 

[AzBat]

Another video on the same demo:
http://gizmodo.com/5481957/breakdancing-is-no-match-for-project-natals-sensors
One can sense the Natal "treatment". I feel the lag measurements are not so meaningful without understanding the context.

I am pretty sure the developers will pick game concepts around what Natal can deliver well.

Loved that video! Definitely shows one core game concept that's doable: dancing. Think we might see some kind of Dance Hero? LOL Personally I wouldn't play it as have I no rhythm or coordination, but I'm sure it would have lots of fans.

Tommy McClain

 

[obonicus]

The question is: will Natal allow for nose-picking?

 

[scently]

Part of the Milo E3 demo was a concept video (especially the smooth natural speech interaction part). The rest are work in progress (e.g. facial recognition). I suspect they would want to get some sort of sketch recognition (like EyeToy) going.

I finally found a "cleaner" version of the Real Kanojo (Girlfriend) title I saw on GAF. It uses webcam (for head tracking), mouse input, cheap 3D glasses to present a girl friend simulator:

(Yeah, it's all in Japanese but should be self-explanatory)

I think you should read the hands on account on eurogamer.

 

[ShadowRunner]

Loved that video! Definitely shows one core game concept that's doable: dancing. Think we might see some kind of Dance Hero? LOL Personally I wouldn't play it as have I no rhythm or coordination, but I'm sure it would have lots of fans.

Tommy McClain

Yep there is massive potential in game concepts like that. At the same time its those types of games, that require you to be in time with music, that require minimal lag. Its a wait and see game for now hopefully we will see more at GDC.

I wonder what types of games developers have in the works rite now, given that the evel of performance hasnt been nailed down. Id imagine most would be playing it safe so we may see that at launch we have mostly game concepts were lag is not such an issue...

 

[patsu]

I think you should read the hands on account on eurogamer.

What's the URL ? I can't seem to find a Eurogamer link on google. There is a play.tm link but it requires registration.

 

[scently]

Here you go.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/e3-project-natal-hands-on
and
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/e3-project-natals-molyneux-and-milo-interview

 

[patsu]

Oh those. I have already read them. Still very early at that time. ^_^
I figured they would work on it more to understand Natal's strength and limitations. The concept itself is familiar (e.g., Apple's Knowledge Navigator, Eyedentify, EyePet, and now Real Kanojo). They may repurpose it for a different game for all we know.

 

[goonergaz]

Eurogamer and several other sites had a hands on time with Milo demo, so it is not "stuff of dream".

All of whom will have been 'hand held' through the interactive demo...let's see what happens when joe public get a go before we say it "works properly". WRT my 'stuff of dreams' comment - it wasn't that it didn't work - just that it won't be in any games (any time soon).

Think of it like watching someone play Heavy Rain - from the outside you think 'wow - look what you can do' however eventually you get your hands on the controller and find you can only follow set paths and most of the controls are simply correct button presses at the correct time.

 

[goonergaz]

For Arc + PSEye...

The functional difference would be in the software. e.g., If you look at the E3 demo, the younger demonstrator talked about writing using Arc. If it's a straightforward implementation, you write on the TV surface which is 3-4 feet away. Any small action in your hands would translate into large and shaking movement (like "writing with a one meter pen").

Because of accurate absolute positioning, it looks like they brought the "virtual paper" forward so that it's akin to writing on a regular piece of paper close to the Arc controller (i.e., easier to write precisely). As I understand, 1-to-1 true mapping is not the same as (accurate) absolute positioning.

Aye, there seems more to the Arc - I guess time will tell.

 

[scently]

Former member and co-founder of Naughty dog on Natal.
http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2010/02/28/naughty-dog-co-founder-natals-killer-app-may-not-be-a-game/
Apparently he is a believer.

 

[patsu]

Hah, already figured out that part (UI innovation, integration with living room functions, and rise of natural interface non-games on consoles). That's why the "flailing game demo" does not show Natal's strength. If all goes well, we should see similar capabilities on other platforms too.

 

[scently]

Valve chief on Natal, among other things.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=236878

 

[AzBat]

New details on Natal coming out of Microsoft TechFest...

But the clearest leap is likely to be Microsoft's Project Natal system for the Xbox 360, which was also demonstrated during the session using a near-final version of the hardware, set to go on sale this holiday season.

Xbox exec Don Mattrick declined to provide retail pricing but lots of details of the Natal technology were provided.

Photos were prohibited, but the hardware is a smoother, larger version of the developer version that was released last year. The current iteration is about 10 inches long, in white plastic with tapered ends like a 2 x 2 with miter cuts, on a white base with the same design as the current Xbox Live Vision camera accessory.

Microphones for sound recognition were on the underneath plane, and the plane facing players had three sensors. One is a light projector used to ensure the system performs despite lighting conditions in a room. Another is a color Webcam sensor and the third is a black and white CMOS sensor used to monitor depth in the room.

The system operates at 30 frames per second and uses its readings and motion analysis to calculate likely actions players are taking in real time, with an algorithm that uses less processing power than a cellphone.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...011224222_microsoft_techfest_natal_detai.html

This is same guy who had photos of the developer prototype. Can sombody with some PhotoShop skills knock together something that looks liket that?

Tommy McClain

 

[rabidrabbit]

A light projector? Is it projecting visible light to light up the room?
I hope that means infrared light, otherwise this is just another camera device that won't work well with front projectors and darkened rooms.

 

[patsu]

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/03/01/a-playstation-arc-trademark-wonder-what-thats-for/

Next week Sony plans on unveiling their motion controller and probably it’s official name, “PlayStation Arc.” Sony filed a trademark for PlayStation Arc in Japan, which also happens to be the rumored name for Sony’s motion controller.